The invention relates to a chain link for a crawler chain, wherein the chain link comprises at least two roller tracks extending in parallel, on whose running surfaces at least one track roller is movable during operation of the crawler.
Crawler chains comprise a plurality of chain links which are articulated to each other to form a closed chain. The chain encloses the traveling gear of the crawler drive and serves the locomotion of the vehicle. By means of the crawler, the footprint of the machine is increased, in order to on the one hand improve the traction and on the other hand evenly distribute the machine weight on the ground.
The crawler drive generally consists of at least one driven tumbler wheel, at least one deflection wheel and a plurality of carrier and track rollers on which the chain is running. Tumbler wheel and deflection wheel are mounted at the front and rear in direction of travel, the track rollers are arranged inbetween along the footprint, and the carrier rollers are mounted opposite the track rollers in the region of the chain running back. The tumbler wheel is driven by a suitable drive which is attached to the undercarriage of the working machine. The drive tumbler wheel engages into the individual chain links of the crawler chain and thereby provides for the locomotion of the working machine. The deflection wheel, also referred to as guide wheel, usually is shiftably attached to the undercarriage and thereby ensures the necessary chain tension.
The individual track rollers serve to distribute the load of the vehicle on the resulting footprint of the crawler chain. The contact area between the track rollers and the inner surfaces of the individual chain links is referred to as roller track. There exist variants with one or more roller tracks, of which the second variant provides that each chain link includes two or more roller tracks extending in parallel, on which separate rims of an individual road wheel are running.
The chain links are articulated to each other by connecting means, which however disadvantageously produces a gap between the roller tracks of adjacent chain links. During the locomotion, the track rollers of the crawler drive must pass over the gaps of adjacent chain links, which leads to surges and peaks of the contact pressure. This has a disadvantageous effect on the height of the acting stress moment at the chain links and leads to increased wear, which generally shortens the useful life of the individual components of the crawler drive.
Solution approaches are known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,409,306 A and EP 2 008 919, by way of example. The chain links disclosed therein comprise two roller tracks which are split in two at their outer edges, in order to provide for a crosswise connection between the individual roller tracks of the chain links. This procedure provides for a smoother passage over the interfaces of adjacent chain links, but it has been discovered in such solutions that the individual chain links exhibit increased wear phenomena at the points of intersection.